use equipment under supervision only

Let me tell you a story... Picture this: our company gym today..

(This conversation ensued after Julie read a safety warning to me "Use equipment under supervision only")

Leslie: I used to work at the gym does that count?
Julie: I used to work out at a gym
Leslie: We are in a gym now
Julie: I can spell gym
Leslie: Yeah JIMS
Julie: Oh my god a cheeseburger sounds so good right now.

Oh yes the chubby butts went to work out, and while it was probably the most confusing and entertaining thing for our security team to watch, it actually did feel good to get the blood flowing. And yes we managed to hit each other square in the boobs with the medicine balls, and yes I think I broke my lady land when I tried to use to much weight for my inner thigh workout. BUT we did it all with total determination and desire to get fit and get rid of some serious work tension. I have been determined to get through my C25K app to get ready for the Dirty Girl Mud Run.  I am ashamed at how out of shape I am, I'm back at the back at the gym and on Day 1 of the app and I am feeling good. I am sure I will be feeling the opposite tomorrow but hey no pain no gain.

I have not wanted to do outfit post because I am have been so ashamed of the weight I put back on. All my hard work went right out the window because I got lazy, and I started being sloppy with managing my food. I stopped holding myself accountable for my own actions.  So starting Friday you will see a new little feature ACCOUNTABILITY a posting of me in the mirror so I can track my body transformation. My end result is to be a size 14. ( it used to be a 16 but I am kinda lovin' the look of the J.Crew No.2 Pencil Skirt)

I have dinner to cook for the husband and Le Blount

XO Leslie

Letting go... 2012 so far.

My Mother always told me that how you spend your New Year's Eve/Day is a reflection of how you will spend your year. As a child, I spent each and every NYE/Day surrounded by my family, and at least every other weekend surrounded by them as well. I grew up, got engaged and then married and those NYE's were spent waiting for the (ex) hubby to get off work, while surrounded by family, drinking and thinking about how my life sucked. And again...the year was spent doing the same.

The end of 2011 rolls around. I'm as single as can be and quite glad about it.  Plans are made to party with the girls like it's 1999. Dinner, drinks, and lots of friends gathering to say adios to the drama filled 2011. If this was a reflection of how my 2012 was going to end up, I was off to a good start. However...things took a turn when an argument started and we needed to bolt from a party 10 minutes before midnight. When the clock struck 12 am, I was driving down loop 410, headed to a friends house to salvage the night. *sigh* I decide to take this as a sign that 2012 was going to be my year of traveling...and cleaning (since I spent part of my night also cleaning out my car).

Fast forward to now. I've taken a cruise to Cozumel, road tripped to Austin, New Braunfels and Port Aransas. I'm planning a Fall trip to Phoenix to visit some awesome people, and planning a Summer 2013 trip to visit my sisters in Missouri/Kansas. Sweetness, right?

Dig a little deeper...into the cleaning. I've started cleaning up my diet, getting into shape by running and working out on a more regular basis. I've stopped putting up with people's bs and started living for me. Negative and toxic people (for the most part) have been eliminated and my life finally feels like its on track- especially after the crap last night.

The ever present guy friend (see post: Heartbreak and Tattoos) and I finally mended our friendship to some extent. However, I realized that just because we could be friends again, didn't mean that we should be. A mindless comment lead to a confrontation which led to an argument bigger than either of us could imagine. As a result, a decision was made to walk out from each others lives. It was for the best, but when it happened, I couldn't help but want to cry and take back my actions. But I didn't , and I'm glad because I came across this and suddenly it all made sense.

I believe people come into our lives for certain reasons at certain times. When the lesson has been learned, they leave and holding on to them stalls the growing process and their presence becomes toxic for all involved. His presence in my life was wonderful and amazing and he helped me realize that i'm quite the amazing girl. However, us hanging onto what was and what could have been tore me apart and into a million little pieces. But, like the picture says...I learned that i'm stronger than I think.

I'll forever be grateful for the lessons I learned from this person. However it's time to let go, and throw out the trash.

Cheers to letting go of the trash, the toxic and the meaningless bs that brings us down. Cheers to living free.


xo
-Julie

a moment of memory

I would like to take a brief moment of your time, to bow your heads and pray, or meditate and be grateful for those you have in your life.

Jules and I lost a good friend and amazing co-worker this morning. So pardon our absence, if one happens. And hug your friends and loved ones.

-leslie

Meet Becky!!

Hi All!! This is Becky.

I'm a 30 year old (and proud of it) mother of an amazing 7 year old son. Over the past 10 years I have put myself through school, getting my Bachelors in Business Management, worked  full time job and raising my son.

My favorite quote:

I believe that everything happens for a reason. People change so that you can learn to let go, thing go wrong so that you can appreciate them when they are right. You believe lies so you eventually learn to trust no one but yourself and sometimes things fall apart so better things can fall together. ~Marilyn Monroe

I have fantastic friends who make me laugh, keep me grounded, and always remind me that no matter what happens in my life, I am truly loved.

My Loves:

My son, road trips, working out (running, crossfit, and anything that keeps me active), tattoos, music, wine, trying new food, traveling, meeting new people, and my Jeep!!

New Obsessions:

Mud runs, and doing random things in random places (you will see plenty of pictures in upcoming posts)

I believe in motivating people to be and do their best. Never say you can't do something if you have never tried it before. It's important to find a balance between the mental, physical, and spiritual parts of your life.

There is always a purpose for everything that happens in our lives, good and bad. Pain brings wisdom, understanding, and growth that you can't obtain any other way.

And as you read my blogs and learn more about me, you will find out I am a HUGE Nerd :)

I am a Raw Artist

I had the pleasure in June to be featured in an art showcase held by RawArtist.org. I really appreciate organizations like Raw, because not every market recognizes that hair and makeup can be an artform. After being selected to be Junes featured makeup artist I was told the greatest thing ever... you have free reign of the looks you want to present. HOLY COW! I was thrilled and a million ideas went through my head. I was really ready to own this show case. I had one month to plan this and I knew I wanted it to be great.

http://www.rawartists.org/lvmakeupdesigns

I went crazy- planning my looks, casting models, trying to decide what the girls are walking to. Oh wait I have changed my mind they aren't walking... they are posing. I had 6 models, then 14 models, then the day of I dropped to 10 models. My biggest concern was: either this going to be something to remember or am I going to make a huge jack ass out of myself.

I over shopped, over sketched and threw half of my ideas out.   I started over and doubted myself all the way up to the moment the first model arrived to get their makeup done. Im thinking I would have been a crying mess the entire time I planned if it weren't for Julie who was my assistant.. the entire time being my number one cheering squad. And not to mention, Eileen, my hairstylist, who was literally just making sure that I remember this show was about me and no else. If it weren't for them, I would have been a complete train wreck.

On top of my showcase, I was responsible for the looks and putting together a team of makeup artists to provide for the fashion designers on site as well. I am grateful for the team of makeup artists I had to handle that portion of the show while I concentrated on my looks.

We prayed, I cried, we clapped, and then it was showtime!

minutes before showtime

My models had a hard job, and I mean that seriously- mannequin modeling is no joke. They stood out there for two hours with people coming up inches from their faces looking at them inspecting my work. It was really overwhelming to see them posing in the center, surrounded by great art work. People were coming up and asking me how I did certain things, telling me that I did a good job, and these were people that never met me in their life they were giving me their true unbiased opinion. It was great and I felt so proud.

By the time I blinked the night was over and I found my self cleaning the green room up saying my thank yous and good byes.

I am proud of my work and I am excited to participate in more art shows like this. I really hope Kansas City is ready for me next year when I go up there to debut my work in their market

Heartbreak and Tattoos

Current music obsession- John Mayer: “Dreaming with a Broken Heart”
　

Heartbreak. Just like every painful experience we go through in life, we somehow think that each time it happens, it will get easier. Unfortunately, the only thing that does get easier with time (and only if you’re lucky), is knowing how to handle it in a healthy manner. Heartbreak sucks- whether it be finding out that your crush is now dating the head cheerleader, or you get stood up on a Friday night…it’s all the same.

My last relationship had all of the makings of an adorable and saccharine sweet romantic comedy. The loyal male friend sits on the sidelines, pining for the girl. The girl is enthralled with a hunk, thinks he’s the one who’s going to sweep her off her feet and live happily ever after with her. When the romance with the “hunk” fails, girl runs straight to her friend and cries on his shoulder. Loyal guy friend comforts her, and before you know it she realizes everything she ever wanted was right in front of her the whole time. Loyal guy confesses his love, girl realizes she feels the same, and they live happily ever after. For the most part, that’s exactly what happened to me. Sweet, right? Of course! But no one ever bothers to find out what happens after the first few days, weeks, months- when the newness wears off and reality kicks in. Hollywood forgets to mention that the loyal friend is dealing with his own marriage failing, and the girl is dealing with her own feelings of inadequacy and the dissolution of her own marriage. Somehow, the part about children being involved, finances, time management, emotional bandwidth, work, legal issues and all the other amazing things life throws at us are somehow, someway, left out of the Hollywood romance equation. When it all comes crashing down and the breakup happens, does anyone talk about- or even think about the friendship that’s in pieces at the end of it all? It’s hard to mend yourself after a breakup, and it’s even harder to try to go back to having that person in your life as a friend when you’re hurting. Can you go back to the way things were before words were exchanged, people were hurt, and lines were crossed? Loyal friend/male counterpart moves on. Girl is left picking up the pieces of her heart and tries to figure out what went wrong.

In the past, I dealt with my heartache and pain in the same way- run straight into the arms of another guy. Go thru the motions of a meaningless relationship and act like it doesn’t hurt that much when it all falls apart. Since this most recent relationship was nothing like I’d ever experienced before (in a GOOD way), I decided it was time to grow up and deal with things like an adult. No more guy hopping, no more fake relationships, no more looking for something I’d never find. I was going to work thru the pain and work on me…and in the meantime, I was going to get some new ink.

After a particularly emotionally draining day which led to an amazing, wine filled night with the girlfriends- I had my idea. I've been thru a ton of heartbreak and dodged lots of bullets that have tried to tear me down. It's been hard, but I've chosen not to give in, not to let it hurt me, and most importantly, my faith has allowed me NOT to sink. I have my anchor, my hope, my strength- it's in me, but I needed to see it ON me. Here comes the ink!

I set off with my ink buddy (ironically enough, it's my ex husband) with the intention to just price work and see what can be done. First stop ends up being the last stop, and 2 hours later my left arm is swollen and throbbing. Finished product was more than I could have ever hoped for, and I'm quite a happy camper. The whole experience was incredibly therapeutic: the sting, the burn, the pain of getting tattooed. The discomfort, the weird sunburn-ish feeling of the healing process- it all seemed to mimic exactly what I was feeling inside. As I sorted thru my feelings, worked out some anger and started to mend emotionally, so did my tattoo.

Anchor/Hope-Left forearm. By far, the most meaningful tattoo I've gotten.

Although I feel like I've healed emotionally from the pain of the breakup, I know that my friendship with this person still needs time to mend. And just like that relationship has not healed completely, neither has my tattoo. The tattoo will heal quicker than the time it will take for the emotional scars our friendship has, but it's a good reminder that in time- all wounds heal in their own way.

I used to say I was lucky to be with this guy. Now I know I wasn't lucky JUST because of that- I'm lucky because being with him was an opportunity to learn so much about myself, about life and love, and because when things got crappy, I realized I'm surrounded by friends who love me and care for me no matter what. No matter how ugly, hard, and complicated life can get...it's still pretty amazing and beautiful.

Cheers to a new start (and new ink)!


xoxo,

Julie

Meet Julie!

Hello Guys and Dolls! I'm Julie and 1/3 of this fab group of ladies who will be bringing lots of blog goodness your way. Like Leslie, I'm not a fan of traditional introductions, so I'll share some fun facts about me instead.

I've been blogging on and off for about 10 years- mostly lifestyle, and a little bit of beauty here and there.

Lifestyle, beauty and a little bit of random dating stories. You know you love it.

My friends are my world, without them life would be boring and I'd be a pretty sad gal. They're my family, my support system and my rock.

This is what happens when you spill beer on a new dress. You get the bday boob cover up!

I've got an obsession with baking and cupcakes. Ever since I was a child, the thought of taking simple ingredients like sugar, flour and eggs and turning it into something spectacular has always thrilled me. I have cupcake baking parties solo and scare my dog by my weird combo of dancing and mixing.

Pistachio cupcakes anyone?

I've got 5 tattoos and plan on getting started on a my full sleeve sometime soon.

First tattoo. Yes, I was scared.

                                                                 

Road trips to random spots in Texas are always a guarantee of a good time with me.

Even my pup and loyal sidekick, Olive loves road trips...most of the time.

I'm in love with the 40's thru the 60's. Sometimes, I'm convinced I was born in the wrong era.

Eyeliner, updo's and flowers. Yes, I'm lovin' the 60's

And that, my dear- is me in a nutshell.

xo,
Julie

Beauty 101 : Makeup Brushes

anatomy of a brush and basic care.

Ladies and gents let me introduce you to brush.

Fibers: your bristle its self can vary in the make and density.
While most brushes are a blend of natural hair, vegan friendly synthetic brushes are readily available on the market, as well as synthetic/natural hair blends. It is also not uncommon to still find a sponge tipped applicator as well.

Furrule: This metal tubing that is clamped around your fibers and and handle and works as a bridge for both peices. It protects the glue that binds your fibers and the open cut of the handle.

Handle: This is the portion of the brush that you will grip for application.

Your brush is your friend!

Now with that out of the way!


Cleaning your brushes is crucial for so many reason, it extends the longevity of the brush, it allows true color application, and most importantly it allows you to work with sanitary conditions. While every other day is the most optimal schedule you can use for brush cleansing, you can always safely wait for the end of the work week.

Now don't be intimidated by the aspect of cleaning your brushes, nothing extraordinarily fancy is needed for this process, you only need a few simple items that you probably already have. A gentle shampoo such as baby shampoo or one for chemically treated hair, a bowl, warm water, and some paper towels.  I recommend still working in your bathroom since it can get very wet.

After filling your bowl up with warm water, drop two capfuls of baby shampoo and agitate the water to it it all mixed together. Dip ONLY your bristles into this bowl, its okay if the furrele gets a little wet but try to keep it as dry as possible

Meet Leslie and learn a few things about her!

Hello Dollies and Gents!

Allow me to introduce myself, I am Leslie one- third of the dynamic trio that runs this little spot. I am not a huge fan of the traditional here lets write a novel introductions so I leave you with this little faq session.

A few fun facts to know about me:
I have been blogging for 11 years now, about various things in life.
My husband is truly my BFF, seriously our friendship and gossip sessions rival most women.
I am a glee fanatic and I am not ashamed of it!
I proudly sport three tattoos with plans of more in my future
I am a fur-mama and there is nothing wrong with that.
Local art excites and inspires me alot! I treasure the talent that is around me.
Roadtrip? SIGN ME UP! I have planted my feet in 2 countries and 26 states!
My family is my world.
Coke and Cake Vodka is my drink of choice lately.

Welcome

amazing things are coming this way

Love
Becky, Julie and Leslie!